By: Blonde Two

Today is International Women’s Day (well so I found out yesterday).

I like being a woman, I always have done. This is almost certainly due to coming from a family of most excellent female role models. Amongst my female relatives I have business women, teachers, mothers, musicians, artists, farmers and gardeners and all of them are pretty determined. You can see it in our next female generation too. Not-At-All-Blonde was the first female of that generation and she and her cousin (and her cuzzies in New Zealand) are all cut from the same sheet of female family cloth.

I wasn’t sure what I should to to mark International Women’s Day so I had a look at their website. Their theme this year is Be Bold For Change. I think I have been so in my time but maybe not as much as I should have been. Here are some organisations whose actions deserve recognition.

1. This Girl Can
The This Girl Can campaign is doing a fantastic job of celebrating women who love being active and get on and do it without worrying about what people think. Reading other people’s stories has been a great encouragement to me and hopefully to lots of other women and girls.

2. Plas Y Brenin
Just the thought of PYB makes me think of six foot blokes with broad shoulders and an air of patience on their faces as I struggle behind them up a hill. True, this most excellent and revered of centres has, in the past, been seen as a bastion of male physical superiority but times they are a-changing and I have to applaud PYB for their recent set of winter courses for women. They also offer a range of women-centric courses including mountain biking and hillwalking.

3. The BMC (British Mountaineering Council)
Now the BMC confuse me because I know that they are working quite hard to promote women in the mountains and particularly women who climb. I have already told you about their Women in Adventure film competition and there is lots going on. However… I have to say that having just searched their website, they could be a bit more explicit about their female side. Well done BMC but please do tell us more.

Last summer our Ladies Only Navigation Workshop was full and we had a great time. The most common statement we heard was, ‘My husband always has the map.’ We are hoping to meet some of our ladies again this year and find out how their navigation adventures have gone.

Here are the dates of this year’s Blonde Navigation Workshops. We are also offering a wild camping experience.

Saturday 3rd June
Navigation Workshop – Beginners (over 18’s only) £20

Saturday 1st July
Navigation Workshop – Beginners (ladies over 18
only) £20

Saturday 2nd September
Navigation Workshop – Consolidation (for those with previous experience) £25

Saturday 26th August – Sunday 27th August
Dartmoor Wild Camp (tents provided) £90

Contact us at: admin.twoblondeswalking.com for more details.